1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mirror surface angle adjusting device which is incorporated in a vehicle outer mirror device, and which is for adjusting a mirror surface angle.
2. Description of the Related Art
A vehicle outer mirror device is used to view the region at the rear of a vehicle while the vehicle is traveling. Among vehicle outer mirror devices, there are vehicle outer mirror devices which are equipped with a mirror surface angle adjusting device in order to improve the ability to view the region at the rear of a vehicle.
This type of mirror surface adjusting device has a housing for accommodating functional parts. Due to the housing being fixed to a frame which is provided within a visor, the mirror surface angle adjusting device is disposed at a predetermined position at a mirror front side (vehicle front side) within the visor. Further, the mirror surface angle adjusting device is equipped with a mirror holder which can swing around a pivot portion, and a mirror is held at the mirror holder. Moreover, the mirror holder is connected to a first drive rod, which is for adjusting the vertical direction angle of the mirror, and a second drive rod, which is for adjusting the left-and-right direction angle of the mirror. Due to the first drive rod and the second drive rod being moved (stroked) in the respective axial directions thereof by the driving force of a driving device, the mirror surface angle of the mirror is adjusted.
However, conventionally, the above-described mirror surface angle adjusting device has not been able to used in common for left and right vehicle outer mirror devices.
This point will be described hereinafter with reference to FIG. 6. The schematic structure of a right side door mirror device 150 is illustrated at the right side of FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 6, in the right side door mirror device 150, a mirror driving unit 152 is set upward. The mirror driving unit 152 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped housing 154 at which mounting portions 154A are formed at the four corners thereof. Due to the mounting portions 154A being fixed to a frame (not shown) which is provided in a door mirror visor 156, the mirror driving unit 152 is disposed at a predetermined position in the door mirror visor 156. Note that, a pivot portion 158 is provided at a lower portion of the housing 154. Further, a first drive rod 160, which is for adjusting the vertical direction angle of the mirror, is provided at an upper portion of the housing 154. Moreover, a second drive rod 162, which is for adjusting the left-and-right direction angle of the mirror, is provided next to the pivot portion 158.
A schematic structure of a left side door mirror device 164 is illustrated at the left side of FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 6, when the mirror driving unit 152 which is used in the right side door mirror device 150 is to be used also in the left side door mirror device 164, the mirror driving unit 152 must be rotated counterclockwise 90xc2x0 around the pivot portion 158 so as to be set sideways. This is because, in left and right vehicle outer mirror devices, the position of the pivot portion 158 of the mirror driving unit must be set at the same position. Use of the mirror driving unit 152 for both the left and right vehicle outer mirror devices can only be achieved by switching the functions of the first drive rod 160 and the second drive rod 162 (i.e., switching the functions for adjusting the vertical direction angle and the left-and-right direction angle of the mirror).
As a result, as shown at the left side of FIG. 6, two portions (the encircled portion designated by arrow P and the encircled portion designated by arrow Q) among the mounting portions 154A of the housing 154 of the mirror driving unit 152 interfere with the door mirror visor 156 and another part 166. Therefore, the mirror driving unit 152 cannot be used for both the left and right vehicle outer mirror devices. Thus, the mirror driving unit 152 must be individually and independently prepared for each of the right side door mirror device 150 and the left side door mirror device 164. Various drawbacks therefore arise, such as the number of parts increases, there are problems with management for ensuring the storage space and for preventing errors in assembly, and there is an increase in costs which accompanies such problems.
In view of the aforementioned, an object of the present invention is to provide a mirror surface angle adjusting device which can be used in both left and right vehicle outer mirror devices.
A first aspect of the present invention is a mirror surface angle adjusting device comprising: a pivot portion which swingably supports a holding member for holding a mirror body; a first adjusting device connected to the holding member, and which swings the holding member, in one of a vertical direction and a left-and-right direction, around the pivot portion by receiving driving force and being displaced; a second adjusting device connected to the holding member, and which swings the holding member, in another of the vertical direction and the left-and-right direction, around the pivot portion by receiving driving force and being displaced; and a housing which accommodates the pivot portion, the first adjusting device, and the second adjusting device, and the housing including a plurality of mounting portions for mounting in the rear view vehicle outer mirror device, wherein in a case in which the mirror surface angle adjusting device is mounted in a rear view vehicle outer mirror device disposed at an exterior of a vehicle, a first adjustment point of the first adjusting device and a second adjustment point of the second adjusting device have line symmetry with respect to a 45xc2x0 direction reference line which forms an angle of elevation of substantially 45xc2x0 with respect to a vehicle transverse direction reference line passing through a fulcrum of swinging of the pivot portion and which passes through the fulcrum of swinging, and positional relationships of mounting points of the plurality of mounting portions are set such that the mounting points have line symmetry with respect to the 45xc2x0 direction reference line.
In the mirror surface angle adjusting device of the present invention, preferably, the first adjusting device moves in an axial direction relative to the first adjusting device due to receipt of the driving force, and the second adjusting device moves in an axial direction relative to the second adjusting device due to receipt of the driving force.
In the mirror surface angle adjusting device of the present invention, preferably, the housing includes a front housing disposed at a vehicle front side and a rear housing disposed at a vehicle rear side, and the front housing and the rear housing mating together, when the mirror surface angle adjusting device is being used in a rear view vehicle outer mirror device.
Further, preferably, the housing generally corresponds to a thin, square, flat-plate shape.
In the mirror surface angle adjusting device of the present invention, preferably, the pivot portion comprises a spherical receiving portion including a hemispherical concave portion comprising a bottom and formed integrally with the rear housing, a hemispherical retainer including a bottom and formed smaller in size than the spherical receiving portion and received therein, a compression coil spring urging the retainer toward the spherical receiving portion, and a screw.
Preferably, the spherical receiving portion comprises a cylindrical holding portion and includes a bottom, a boss corresponding in shape to an elongated cylinder formed at an axially central portion of the holding portion, and a spherical supporting portion extending radially outward the holding portion.
Preferably, the retainer comprises a cylindrical shaft portion inserted in the holding portion of the spherical receiving portion, and a spherical pushing portion extending radially outward from an intermediate portion of the shaft portion.
It is preferable that the holding member includes a shaft supporting portion, with the shaft supporting portion nipped between the spherical supporting portion of the spherical receiving portion and the spherical pressing portion of the retainer.
Preferably, the shaft supporting portion of the holding member is formed hemispherically at a substantially central portion of the holding member, and a through hole, whose diameter is greater than an outer diameter of the shaft portion of the retainer, is formed in a center of the shaft supporting portion.
It is preferable that urging force from the compression coil spring is applied to the shaft supporting portion of the holding member via the retainer, and the shaft supporting portion of the holding member swingably supports the spherical receiving portion.
In the mirror surface angle adjusting device of the present invention, preferably, the mirror surface angle adjusting device further comprises a mirror angle detecting device for independently detecting a vertical direction angle of a mirror surface and a left-and-right direction angle of the mirror surface.
Further, preferably, the mirror angle detecting device includes a first member for detecting a left-and-right direction angle, the first member comprising a distal end portion, a second member for detecting a vertical direction angle, the second member comprising a distal end portion, and a spherical member held rollably at the distal end portion of each of the first member and the second member, and a compression coil spring disposed between the first member and the spherical member corresponding to first member, and another compression coil spring disposed between the second member and the spherical member corresponding to second member.
In the mirror surface angle adjusting device of the present invention, preferably, the plurality of mounting points comprises three points, said one of the mounting points being set on the 45xc2x0 direction reference line, and second mounting and third mounting points set at positions which are substantially line symmetry with respect to the 45xc2x0 direction reference line.
In the mirror surface angle adjusting device of the present invention, preferably, the first adjusting point is set on a vertical direction line which passes through the fulcrum of swinging, and the second adjusting point is set on a horizontal direction line which passes through the fulcrum of swinging.
The holding member for holding the mirror body is swingably supported by the pivot portion. The first adjusting device and the second adjusting device are connected to the holding member. Accordingly, when the first adjusting device receives a driving force and is displaced, the holding member swings in either the vertical direction or the left-and-right direction around the pivot portion (i.e., with the pivot portion as a fulcrum). In this way, the mirror surface angle in that one direction is adjusted. Further, when the second adjusting device receives a driving force and is displaced, the holding member is swung in the other of the vertical direction and the left-and-right direction around the pivot portion, and the mirror surface angle of the mirror body in that direction is thereby adjusted.
Here, in the present invention, in a case in which the mirror surface angle adjusting device is mounted in a vehicle outer mirror device, positional relationships of respective points are set such that a first adjusting point of the first adjusting device and a second adjusting point of the second adjusting device have line symmetry with respect to a 45xc2x0 direction reference line which passes through the fulcrum of swinging of the pivot portion and which forms an angle of elevation of substantially 45xc2x0 with respect to a vehicle transverse direction reference line which passes through the fulcrum of swinging. In this way, for example, the first adjusting device, which is incorporated into a right side vehicle outer mirror device and which makes the holding member swing in the one direction, functions, in a case in which the mirror surface angle adjusting device is incorporated into a left side vehicle outer door mirror device, as the second adjusting device which swings the holding member in the other direction. Conversely, the second adjusting device, which swings the holding member in the aforementioned other direction in the former case, functions, in the latter case, as the first adjusting device which swings the holding member in the aforementioned one direction. Accordingly, the functions of the mirror surface angle adjusting device do not deteriorate either in the case in which the mirror surface angle adjusting device is incorporated in a right side vehicle outer mirror device or the case in which the mirror surface angle adjusting device is incorporated in a left side vehicle outer mirror device.
In the present invention, the positional relationships of the respective points are set such that the first adjusting point and the second adjusting point have line symmetry with respect to a 45xc2x0 direction reference line. In this way, the distance between the fulcrum of swinging and the first adjusting point and the distance between the fulcrum of swinging and the second adjusting point are equal. As a result, in a case in which the mirror surface angle adjusting device, which is the same product, is used for a pair of left and right vehicle outer mirror devices, the positional relationships between the points at which driving force is applied to the holding member, and thus to the mirror body, are exactly the same at the left and the right. Accordingly, when the same type of mirror surface angle adjusting device is used at a pair of left and right vehicle outer mirror devices, not only are the functions of the mirror surface angle adjusting device not impaired, but also, the functions of the mirror surface angle adjusting device can be maintained at an extremely high level.
The positional relationships of the respective mounting points of the plurality of mounting portions are set such that the points have line symmetry with respect to the 45xc2x0 direction reference line. Further, the structures of the pair of left and right vehicle outer mirror devices are shapes which are substantially line symmetrical with respect to the vertical direction central line of the vehicle. Thus, if the mirror surface angle adjusting device can be mounted appropriately (i.e., without the mounting portions interfering with the visor inner wall or the like) in the visor of the right side vehicle outer mirror device, the mirror surface angle adjusting device can also be mounted appropriately in a left side vehicle outer mirror device. Accordingly, no obstacles arise to the mounting of the mirror surface angle adjusting device either in the case in which the mirror surface angle adjusting device is incorporated into a right side vehicle outer mirror device or in a case in which the mirror surface angle adjusting device is incorporated into a left side vehicle outer mirror device.
As the plurality of mounting points, three mounting points are set. The first mounting point is set on the 45xc2x0 direction reference line. The second mounting point and the third mounting point are set at positions which are substantially line symmetry with respect to the 45xc2x0 direction reference line. Thus, a stable mounted state of the mirror surface angle adjusting device can be maintained with the minimum number of mounting points.
The first adjusting point is disposed on a vertical direction line which passes through the fulcrum of swinging, and the second adjusting point is disposed on a horizontal direction line which passes through the fulcrum of swinging. When such positional relationships are employed, adjustment of the mirror surface angle is restrained due to the relationship with the fulcrum of swinging of the pivot portion. In this way, as compared with a case in which the first adjusting point and the second adjusting point are not disposed on a vertical direction line and a horizontal direction line which pass through the fulcrum of swinging, more stable adjustment of the mirror surface angle can be carried out.
A second aspect of the present invention is a mirror surface angle adjusting device comprising: a pivot portion which swingably supports a holding member for holding a mirror body; a first adjusting device connected to the holding member, and which swings the holding member, in one of a vertical direction and a left-and-right direction, around the pivot portion by receiving driving force and being displaced; a second adjusting device connected to the holding member, and which swings the holding member, in another of the vertical direction and the left-and-right direction, around the pivot portion by receiving driving force and being displaced; and a housing which accommodates the pivot portion, the first adjusting device, and the second adjusting device, and the housing including a plurality of mounting portions for mounting in the rear view vehicle outer mirror device, wherein in a case in which a straight line which passes through a fulcrum of swinging of the pivot portion and a first adjusting point of the first adjusting device is a first straight line, a second adjusting point of the second adjusting device passes through the fulcrum of swinging and is positioned on a second straight line which is orthogonal with respect to the first straight line, and the first adjusting point and the second adjusting point have line symmetry with respect to a 45xc2x0 direction reference line which forms an angle of elevation of substantially 45xc2x0 with respect to the second straight line and which passes through the fulcrum of swinging, and positional relationships of mounting points of the plurality of mounting portions are set such that the mounting points have line symmetry with respect to the 45xc2x0 direction reference line.
In the mirror surface angle adjusting device of the present invention, preferably, the first adjusting device moves in an axial direction relative to the first adjusting device due to receipt of the driving force, and the second adjusting device moves in an axial direction relative to the second adjusting device due to receipt of the driving force.
Further, the mirror surface angle adjusting device preferably further comprises a mirror angle detecting device for independently detecting a vertical direction angle of a mirror surface and a left-and-right direction angle of the mirror surface.
Further, preferably, the mirror angle detecting device includes a first member for detecting a left-and-right direction angle, the first member comprising a distal end portion, a second member for detecting a vertical direction angle, the second member comprising a distal end portion, and a spherical member held rollably at the distal end portion of each of the first member and the second member, and a compression coil spring disposed between the first member and the spherical member corresponding to first member, and another compression coil spring disposed between the second member and the spherical member corresponding to second member.
A first straight line, which passes through the fulcrum of swinging and the first adjusting point, and a second straight line, which passes through the fulcrum of swinging and the second adjusting point, are orthogonal to each other. Further, the positional relationships of the respective points are set such that the first adjusting point and the second adjusting point have line symmetry with respect to a 45xc2x0 direction reference line which passes through the fulcrum of swinging and which forms an angle of elevation of substantially 45xc2x0 with respect to the second straight line, or such that the mounting points of the plurality of mounting portions have line symmetry with respect to the 45xc2x0 direction reference line. As a result, the present invention achieves the same effects as the first aspect. Namely, the first straight line and the second straight line are newly prescribed, and the specifying of the positional relationships of the respective points is carried out by using these straight lines and the 45xc2x0 direction reference line as a reference.